Angel, 12, hopes to become the youngest girl to make it to the top of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina this December while raising $100,000 for Children International’s youth programs. After visiting Children International programs in Guatemala, Angel was inspired by the youth that she met there, and she is determined to help them get the resources they need to achieve their dreams.
At 22,837 feet, Mount Aconcagua is the tallest peak in all of the Americas, as well as the Southern and Western Hemispheres. Angel will set out on her journey to reach the summit starting December 13. In the meantime, she has been training by climbing peaks like Mount Whitney and Mount Dana. The outstanding climber already broke a record when she became the youngest girl to climb Mount Kilimanjaro at age 10. Angel also trains by swimming long distances in open water. This past summer, she broke three swimming records. For one, she was the youngest person to successfully take on “Swim Around the Rock,” where participants swim from San Francisco to Alcatraz, swim around the island, and then return to San Francisco. On top of all that, she has completed multiple bicycle tours of more than 50 miles.
Angel started a fundraiser on Crowdrise leading up to her climb in order to raise money in support of Children International youth programs, which prepare youth to break out of poverty. The programs teach youth living in impoverished communities the skills they need to stay safe and healthy, complete school and job training, find gainful employment and become self-reliant, contributing members of society. These programs include Sports for Development, Social and Financial Education, and Into Employment, just to name a few. Children International’s youth programs are critical for youths’ success, because while Angel’s climb will be difficult, it doesn’t compare to the challenges that poor children and youth face when trying to break out of poverty.
When asked why she chose to raise money for Children International’s youth programs, Angel said, “When I visited Children International in Guatemala, it changed my life. I saw kids who barely had money for food and clothes, who didn’t have safe places to play or hang out with their friends. As you can imagine, it would be hard to be inspired to think that you can achieve any goal if you lacked all of those things. But the kids that Children International serves are similar to me. They have big dreams, and they work hard to achieve them. We’re not really that much different from each other at all. It’s just that I have more resources than them. So if we can work together and help them get the resources they need, then we can all be equal, and we can all get a chance.”
Learn more about Children International’s youth programs.
Make a donation to Angel’s fundraiser, and check out her blog for updates.
About Children International
Children International prepares children and youth to escape the traps of poverty by supporting their critical needs, building resilience and engaging them in transformative activities. Children International accomplishes this by providing crucial benefits and compassionate care through easily accessible, modern community centers. Children International’s presence, programs and supporters have a positive impact on children, youth, families and communities; provide protection; encourage self-sufficiency; and serve as catalysts for change.
For more information about Children International, visit www.children.org.
